Chandler & Tucson, Arizona
A community center working for stronger, kinder neighborhoods.
Sema Foundation brings neighbors together across the Valley through charity, education, outreach, and culture — because a smile is a priceless donation, and everyone deserves a seat at the table.
Our Impact · 2026, Year to Date
What this looks like in real numbers.
Every number below is a stand-in for something harder to measure: conversations started, trust built between neighbors, kids growing up a little safer because more adults around them know their names. The numbers are real — they're just the visible part.
Figures reflect the 2026 calendar year, updated annually — and we're still counting.
What's Coming Up
Our full events calendar is on its way.
We're putting the finishing touches on a live calendar you'll be able to browse right here. Until it's ready, here's a sense of what regularly happens at Sema.
Saturday School & Weekly Reflection Circle
Regular weekend gatherings for kids, teens, and adults — every week, year-round.
Community Conversations
Guided dialogue between neighbors of different backgrounds, held on a monthly rhythm.
Signature Events
Annual gatherings like the Turkish Festival and Taste of Istanbul — plus Eid, iftar & holy day celebrations through the year.
Our Story
It started with dinners at our kitchen tables.
Sema Foundation didn't begin as an organization — it began as neighbors inviting neighbors over for dinner. Those gatherings grew, one relationship at a time, into two community centers serving the Valley and Tucson today.
Why "Sema"?
Sema means "the sky" — and carries older meanings of "hearing" and "listening" as well. It's also the name of a centuries-old ceremony of turning: one hand open upward to receive, one turned down to give, always circling back to the same place to serve.
From living rooms to two centers
A physical home base opens, and Sema Foundation's actual programs and events begin to take shape.
Sema Foundation establishes its first permanent centers — one in Tempe, one in Tucson — the same year.
The Valley center moves to its current Chandler home, staying deeply connected to Tempe.
Still building bridges across the Valley, one dinner, one conversation, one neighbor at a time.
Who We Are
Coexistence, built one relationship at a time.
Our vision: to bridge hearts and intellects in Arizona for the betterment of our community.
For more than twenty years, Sema Foundation has grown from dinners around a kitchen table into two full community centers — one in Chandler, one in Tucson — reaching families across Phoenix, Tempe, Mesa, Chandler, and Tucson alike. That growth shows up in real partnerships: with the cities themselves, with Arizona State University and the University of Arizona, and with a long list of interfaith and civic organizations across the Valley. It shows up in a habit that hasn't changed since day one — showing up, in person, for the people around us.
Excellence in word and deed
We hold ourselves to a consistent standard, in public and in private.
Listen first, respond second
Programs are shaped by what the community tells us it needs.
Integrity that earns trust
We act consistently, so our neighbors know what to expect from us.
Open to everyone, always
No one is turned away because of race, faith, origin, or belief.
What We Do
Three program areas, four venues we work through.
Everything below sits within three core program areas. Each one is carried out across four venues — the categories Sema Foundation has organized its work under since the beginning:
Philanthropy & Advocacy
Turning goodwill into organized, sustained civic action across the Valley.
"Sema Foundation is such a place that many can call home. You feel like you've been here before. You feel like you know these people for a long time."— Junella Cavero, District 11 RepresentativeAsk us about Philanthropy & Advocacy
Community Development
Neighborhood-level programs that connect people, not just services.
"Our Project Humanities team is always looking for ways to facilitate critical conversations that strive to make us better thinkers, better citizens, and better humans. In partnership with Sema, what better way to host these events than in a melting pot such as Sema?"— Neal A. Lester, Founding Director of Project Humanities, ASU Foundation Professor of EnglishAsk us about Community Development
Spiritual Development
Space for questions, reflection, and learning about Islam — and a steady yearly rhythm of holy days, prayers, and shared meals.
"Very friendly people, open to all people, generous with their food and friendship. Excellent programs on various subjects — panels composed of Christians, Muslims, and Jews, book clubs, dinners, arts and crafts shows. I am a Christian but have never felt out of place, nor asked to convert."— Ann Range, Community MemberAsk us about Spiritual Development
In the Room
This is what it actually looks like.
Nothing sells the mission like the room itself.
In Good Company
We don't do this alone.
Sema Foundation partners with cities, universities, and grassroots organizations across the Valley.
Browse by category
Sema has been one of the largest, most consistent participants in Tucson Meet Yourself for years running — the city's flagship festival celebrating the food, art, and traditions of its many communities.
Partnership in Action
A couple of these, in practice.
With ASU Project Humanities
Project Humanities hosted "Vital Voices: Food, Identity, and Politics" at Sema Foundation's Chandler center — part of a season built around Project Humanities' "Humanity 101" pledge: talking, listening, and connecting across difference. Read the ASU News feature →
With Arizona Faith Network
The 2025 AFN Annual Gathering brought together people of many faith traditions from across Arizona for a morning of connection, reflection, and celebration — the same relationship that later earned Sema its Peacemaker in Action Award.
Community Voices
Not our words about us — theirs.
Nothing here is more convincing than someone who's actually walked through the door saying what it meant to them.
"Tea and conversation after cooking is my favorite time. […] I have met fascinating women — intelligent, lively, and caring. […] I feel so fortunate to have this special opportunity."
"A very inviting community experience! Delicious food that was amazing. An evening to gather and converse with new people and old friends, finished off with a game fun for kids and adults alike. Thank you for your hospitality and openness — you'll see us again!"
"If you get a chance to attend one of the Sema community events, do it. So fun, such wonderful welcoming people — they make you feel like family right away. The food is always amazing!"
Recognized By
Grateful for it, proud of the work behind it.
Transparency
Where your trust — and your dollars — go.
As a 501(c)(3), Sema Foundation's finances and leadership are public record. We think that should be easy to find, not buried in a PDF.
How funds are used
Get Involved
There's a seat for you at the table.
Donate
Every gift is tax-deductible and goes straight into Valley programming — from Iftar dinners to census outreach to youth education. No amount is too small to matter.
Volunteer
Lend a few hours or a standing commitment.
Attend an Event
Cooking meetups to prayer gatherings.
Intern / Volunteer Hours
High school hours & internships, year-round.
Sema Store
Handmade dishes, desserts, a community cookbook, and handcrafted goods — online soon.
Before You Visit
Questions people usually have first.
If you've never been, here's what to expect. The short version: warm, unhurried, and genuinely welcoming — most people say it feels less like visiting an organization and more like showing up at a friend's house for dinner. No pressure, no pop quiz on anyone's background or beliefs, and almost always a cup of tea within the first five minutes.
Do I need to be Muslim, or religious at all, to attend?
What's a typical event actually like?
Is it family-friendly?
Do I need to RSVP, or can I just show up?
What languages are spoken at the centers?
Is my donation tax-deductible?
Visit Us
Two centers, one open door.
Accessibility & Languages
- Both centers offer wheelchair access, accessible parking, and wheelchair-accessible restrooms.
- English and Turkish are both spoken at the centers.
- A language barrier is never the issue — someone's usually nearby to help bridge a conversation, whatever language you're most comfortable in.
Send a Message